Northern Areas Transport Corporation

Northern Areas Transport Corporation

Northern Areas Transport Corporation or NATCO is the largest transport company in the Northern Areas of Pakistan that provides bus and jeep service on the Karakoram Highway, throughout the Northern Areas.

NATCO offers passenger road service between Islamabad, Gilgit and Sost (near the Chinese border). Passenger road service between Tashkurgan and the Pakistani cities of Sust and Gilgit also exists, and road service between Kashgar and Gilgit (via Tashkurgan and Sust) started in summer 2006. However, the border crossing between China and Pakistan at Khunjerab Pass (the highest border of the world) is open only between May 1 and December 31 of every year as the roads are blocked by snow during winter.

On 30th November 2006 NATCO started a non-stop express bus service from Islamabad to Gilgit.